Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
Don't panic!
I won't but I can't promise the same of Liquid Gold, the band that had thrilled us in 1980, with Dance Yourself Dizzy.
That's because it was on this night in 1981 that they and their song named after this post's opening line were vanquished by a gang of upstarts called Bucks Fizz who finished ahead of them in A Song for Europe and were, thus, selected to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest.
The Fizz, of course, went on to win that contest.
What path Liquid Gold's career took from that point, I could not say.
Something that took a very well-attested course was Britain's ZX81, and Clive Sinclair's ground-breaking computer was released in this very week, back then.
It may have been primitive by modern standards but the ZX81 went on to sell over 1.5 million units and introduced home computing into the lives of many who would have previously never dreamed of dabbling in such things.
Dabbling in the musical legacy of John Lennon were Roxy Music who, that week, hit the top of the UK singles chart, with their cover of Jealous Guy.
However, reigning supreme on the UK album chart were Adam and the Ants, thanks to their LP Kings of the Wild Frontier.
All of which brings back to me that highly popular joke of the time; "How many ears does Adam Ant have? Three. His left ear, his right ear and his wild, front ear."
Speaking of which, this issue, Iron Man and the Human Torch unite to tackle Infinitus the reincarnated man. I've no idea who Infinitus is but I assume he's nothing to do with Immortus, a man who was also no stranger to having multiple lives.
Elsewhere, Spider-Man's still tackling those bickering twins who've been turned into the walking menace Fusion by a nuclear accident of the type that could happen to any of us.
And, in Egypt, the Huk would appear to still be having trouble with those other perilous twins Gog and Magog.
Meanwhile, Iron Man's still thwarting all attempts by Blizzard, Whiplash and the Melter to rob Tony Stark's favourite casino.
However, I can bring no news of what the Dazzler and She-Hulk are up to.
Does it go out in style?
Too right it does! Conan's wrestling a pig!
Dr Strange and the Sub-Mariner, meanwhile, take on Alaric, the man with the magic sword that no spell can stop.
Tragically, for him, Alaric makes the fatal error of stabbing Subby with it. An act which, for reasons I'm not totally clear about, promptly robs the villain of his magic powers, and seals his fate.
The Warriors of the Shadow Realm are blundering around the back streets, doing something that involves fruit and bats but doesn't involve fruitbats.
Now that the evil aliens have been defeated, Moon-Boy goes in search of their conqueror, the missing Devil Dinosaur.
Sadly, with the comic's cancellation, I fear we may never get to find out if his quest succeeds.
That's Valour disposed of but how does Future Tense celebrate its last week of independence?
In Star Trek, it turns out the ambassador who was murdered last week faked his own death, for motives I'm not totally certain of.
Needless to say, it all ends happily, with the ambassador in jail, and his planet agreeing to join the Federation.
ROM's out to wreck Brandy's wedding, for no good reason - but then discovers a good reason when he gets there and quickly deducts that her intended is a Dire Wraith!
Conan's not the only one wrestling with a pig, this week, because Warlock's doing it too, as he finally gets to defeat Triax the Terrible.
However, it's not done before the villain's flung Eddie to his death in a sequence strikingly reminiscent of the demise of Gwen Stacy which was also drawn by Gil Kane.
Coincidence?
Or part of a pattern?
Come to think of it, which came first? The death of Gwen Stacy or the death of Eddie?
Posts
50 comments:
OMG, Steve, you crack me up. “Too right it does! Conan’s wrestling a pig!” is one for the ages.
Was that “Wild Front Ear” pun a joke people actually told each other back then? Like, right out loud? Guess Adam Ant just didn’t have quite the same level of ubiquitousness here in the States. My buddies and I did like that first album a lot tho.
I never made the connection between Eddie’s and Gwen’s deaths before. All this time fans have been pointing fingers at Gerry Conway and Jazzy Johnny, but maybe chucking Gwen into the void was all GIL KANE’s idea?? BTW, Eddie’s death plunge pre-dates Gwen’s by a good six months or so, I think. But since Eddie was just a generic member of Warlock’s “Godspell Gang” followers, and didn’t have a whole lot of personality, his demise didn’t result in an avalanche of hate mail directed at Mike Freidrich.
b.t.
They certainly did tell that Adam Ant joke, B.t.
Before that, it was told as a Captain Kirk joke; "How many ears does Captain Kirk have? Three. His right ear, his left ear and his final front ear."
Not sure where Steve's getting that stuff about a supposedly popular Adam Ant joke from, b.t. The one I recall was actually "How many ears does Captain Kirk have?"
Three - a left ear, a right ear, and a final front ear. Da-dum tshhh.
And how come only two days after your last post you don't know whats going on with Dazzler, Steve? She's entering a singing contest against the Enchantress...
-sean
Ah, bollocks - you just got in there before me with the Star Trek joke Steve.
I knew I should have gone with a joke about how at least the Hulk didn't have to deal with Rees-Magog instead.
-sean
'Captain America' Weekly # 3
The cover. This comic is titled, 'Captain America', yet the cover spotlights Iron Man, not Captain America, this week. "Iron Man appears regularly in Captain America Weekly - on sale now!", as Captain America's sister title, 'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly', boldly proclaims, this week! Why shift the focus, from Captain America to Iron Man, this week? Well, maybe David Michelinie's Iron Man deserves plugging a bit - it's certainly well regarded today!
The cover's art is signed, "Johnny Romita Jr. & Baby face Bob" (Bob Layton). In this scene, Iron Man uses his repulsors to knock Blizzard over a toppled card table, with Whiplash & Melter sprawled in the foreground. An Ace of Spades leans precariously against Melter's forearm - the 'death card' - a somewhat melodramatic touch, perhaps?
This scene misleads the reader(not unusual for Marvel covers). Why? Well, it's true Iron Man defeated Melter, followed by Blizzard - but, finally, Whiplash was taken down by Bethany Cabe, not Iron Man!
The cover's gender appreciation, on the top left hand corner, is slightly better - Cap & Iron Man's faces are gender balanced with Dazzler & Val's mugs - unlike 'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly + Team-up', which unceremoniously axed She-Hulk, Ms.Marvel & Spider-woman - all in one fell swoop!
Every week, 'Captain America Weekly' previews next week's cover, possibly to help kids recognize a new & unfamiliar comic, on the newsstand? Well, this week the editor apologizes, because this isn't the cover previewed, last week. This alternative cover was chosen, because it has more action - apparently!
Anyway, the cover's had plenty of 'coverage' - so let's examine the comic itself. 'Captain America Weekly' is unusual, this week, in that half its page count - almost - is concerned with matters Asgardian/Norse. 'Dazzler' features the Enchantress, in a Norse setting, whilst, in the Defenders, Val is in Valhalla, without even a token flashback to Hellcat, back on Earth! It's 'The Defenders' in name only - in reality, all you get is Val!
In 'Dazzler', the Enchantress gazes into the all-seeing 'Fountain of Forever', and, on Midgard, she sees a disco, where events affecting the very axis of reality are about to transpire! Similarly, last week, in the Defenders, Val gazed into the spring of Mimir, seeing herself banished to Niffleheim, by Hela. Earlier still, in Thor's Wagnerian Ring Saga, which readers either love or hate, Odin sacrificed an eye to access the Well of Knowledge. Just how many reflective pools that foretell the future does Asgard have? The place is wick with them!
'Dazzler'
In a flashback to Alison's youth, her school disco performance is interrupted by a gang of youths, armed with clubs (like something out of 'The Warriors'), who invade the school building. Alison unleashes her powers, but temporarily blinds her school mates, as well as the bad guys, and feels she's a freak/monster. Later, she graduates high school with flying colours, but ditches law, in favour of music, alienating her stern, authoritarian father.
Meanwhile, back in Asgard, a brave warrior defeats two large troll guardians, sustaining severe injuries, just to glimpse the Enchantress's incomparable beauty. He prostrates himself, and declares his love, only to have the Enchantress transform him into a living tree (c.f. Chamber of Horrors in 'Forces in Combat'), just to amuse herself. This scene is to enlighten readers not already familiar with her character!
After consulting the Fountain of Forever, the Enchantress will go to Midgard, to meet Alison next issue (presumably).
'The Defenders'
In the Defenders, all Valhalla's warriors are dead already, and if they die in battle, they'll rise again. However, Val inhabits Barbara Norris's mortal body, so must still keep up her own guard, as she cannot allow Barbara's form to be slain. Strangely, though, Barbara's body, despite being mortal, does have super strength as, during the battle, she lifts a horse carrying a warrior, over her head. Later, Val enters a mountain shaped like a shark's fin(a dead giveaway, as Ollerus wears a metallic shark suit!), where she finds her own immortal body, from which the Enchantress drew her consciousness, inserting it into Barbara Norris's mortal form. Val recklessly touches her immortal form, springing Ollerus's trap, whereby - in a flash - the immortal form returns to life, inhabited by Barbara's consciousness - possibly co-opted/corrupted by Ollerus - not Val's.
This story will resemble the Hulk with Banner's mind, in Jarella's world - or Zarathos regaining control of Ghost Rider - or the Thing & Hulk swapping consciousnesses in the Buckler Thing vs Hulk. This story's had lots of different permutations, in other words.
Gazing in the spring of Mimir, Val foresaw herself in Niffleheim, because it was the other Val/Barbara, not her! Thus, neither Hela - nor the Norns - were telling lies. Mark my words!
Iron Man
Last week, Iron Man was beating Melter, and Blizzard, individually, but they co-ordinated their attack, paralysing Iron Man between Melter's heat & Blizzard's cold. His armour's refractory coating could compensate for one attack, but not both simultaneously. At this point, Whiplash declares he'll crack Iron Man open, like an egg! (It took the X-Men many issues to learn more powerful foes should be fought as a team, not as individuals, yet these villains understood it straightaway!) Nevertheless, Blizzard objects (party pooper!), as Whiplash is contravening their orders. Whiplash himself, however, couldn't care less what Hammer wants! (Normally the Mr.Big, who's backing the 3 Stooges,is mysteriously referred to as 'The Man' etc, at this point, to maintain suspense, but David Michelinie has Whiplash tell us it's Hammer almost straightaway.)
Anyway, just Iron Man is attacked by Whiplash, Bethany Cabe shoots his electric whip, with her big Smith & Wesson. Blizzard sardonically thanks Bethany, then freezes the gun to her hand! After Iron Man mops up Melter & Blizzard, Whiplash sees the writing on the wall, and runs for it. Bethany Cabe kicks a casino slot machine into Whiplash's shins, then knocks him out with a piece of wood! In a black & white comic, Bethany's hair looks black. In reality, she must be a red-head, as the casino gamblers shout: "Way to go, Red!" Thus, she joins the ranks of Red Sonja, Mary Jane Watson, Natasha, Jean Grey, Medusa, and countless others. When Iron Man compliments Bethany Cabe, she scolds him for poor body guarding!
The next day, back at the office, with Tony Stark, Bethany Cabe is taking the initiative, much to crotchety secretary Mrs Arbogast's disgust. Peter Parker would be flattered, and made uncomfortable, simultaneously. A self-satisfied Stark, in contrast, takes it all in his stride!
Captain America
Captain America is short this week. Cap uses his shield to destroy the sphere which is enraging Dragon Man. He then latches onto Dragon Man, with a washing line, as the big guy goes after Machinesmith. This leads them both to a deserted barn, which is neither a barn - nor is it deserted.
'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' # 418 - incorporating Team-up
Between them, 'Spider-man & Hulk Weekly' & 'Team-up' had a myriad of titles, in their combined stable. This has been slimmed down to a mere 4 titles - just 4! Team-up, Spidey, Hulk, & Showcase Presents: The White Tiger. To the editor, he's combined the strongest titles from both comics. This is wrong thinking. A good blend is achieved with 'left field' titles to balance out the mainstream characters.
Anyway, 4 titles should improve the comic - more pages each, etc - well, it doesn't. This is a particularly poor issue.
Team-up
Iron Man is beaten by Infinitus, some reincarnated Egyptian guy, with powers like the Melter. Iron Man calls the FF, but is disappointed to only get Johnny Storm, whom he relentlessly patronizes. Strangely, like Jekyll & Hyde, Iron Man changes to Tony Stark, and then becomes very polite to Johnny. For some reason the story's set in Detroit, not Flushing Long Island. The art's scratchy, and has the whiff of Vince Coletta about it.
Spidey
Fusion the energy absorbing entity, made from a good & bad twin, rampages around, absorbing energy. Spidey persuades the good twin to separate from the entity, helping it push apart, whereupon the entity collapses. The end. Why are twins good & bad - like Whitey & his bro, in Zodiac? It's not true in my case.
White Tiger
White Tiger's on the rampage, because someone's killed his family. An ex-cop, turned P.I., called 'Blackbyrd', finds a stool pigeon, before the White Tiger finds him first. For the reader's benefit, the story so far is related. White Tiger turns up and starts beating the stoolie, whereupon Blackbyrd draws a gun. Denys Cowan's on the art. To me, on Power man & Iron Fist, Cowan was disappointing after Kerry Gam(m?)ill. But...big shoes to fill.
Hulk
More Egypt stuff. The Bedouin chief, who rescued Banner in the desert, picks up a special scimitar in the tomb, & transforms into the Arabian Knight, to help Hulk fight Gog & Magog. The Arabian Knight imprisoned them, millennia ago - apparently. This doesn't make sense, as last week, Pharaoh's army had the demons in chains, with no mention of the Knight. I don't associate heroes on flying carpets with Egypt, somehow. But it makes as much sense as anything else in this story - i.e. none at all.
Phillip
So we haven't got to the bit of the Dazzler story with the singing contest then Phillip?
Oh dear, don't I feel like the eejit now after having a go at Steve about it.
-sean
Maybe Marvel UK trimmed that bit off, just to spite you, Sean! ;D
Any of the blog's dinosaur fans play ZX-81's '3-D Monster Maze'? That game was a blocky, pixellated, T-rex legend!
Phillip
More seriously. the singing contest could be next issue. I can't be bothered getting it out, right now.
Phillip
Steve - I've just read your intro. You started Captain America, by noting he didn't make the cover of his own comic - and so did I! Nor did I consult your piece before writing mine! Coincidence - or, great minds think alike? Definitely coincidence!
Phillip
Phillip, that's another magnificent summary. It's heartening to know Marvel UK'd gone back to having sensible page counts again, instead of trying to cram seven strips into each issue, like they had been at the height of Dez's revolution.
Sadly, I'm totally unfamiliar with that ZX81 game.
Sean, I have a feeling that, before Adam Ant and Captain Kirk, that joke was about Davy Crockett and his wild front ear.
I wonder who its about now, Steve.
Boris Johnson, and his new internal front ear in the Irish Sea perhaps?
-sean
I've never heard that frontier joke about EITHER Adam Ant OR Captain Kirk! Clearly I've lived a sheltered life.
The Conan story "Snout In The Dark" was begun by Robert E. Howard but he only wrote the title and a few pages.
I received my census form yesterday. Not even a pandemic must stop the census!
In the name of All That is Holy, please no more ear jokes.
Anon mentioned Mimir. My brief research says he first showed up in Thor #240. I think he started to show up on a regular basis when Roy Thomas took over, his primary purpose being to taunt Odin, apparently.
As the Marvel Database would have it, he is (was) the son of Buri and brother of Bor, which would make him Odin's uncle.
In the truce following the war between the Aesir and the Vanir,(this from the Poetic and Prose Edda) hostages were exchanged, and the Vanir thinking they got short-changed, cut off Mimir's head, him being one of the hostages who was valued for his wisdom.
Odin, not one to waste a smart head, put charms on Mimir's severed noggin to keep it alive, so he could ask it for counsel on occasion. Kind of a Herbert West, Re-animator, that Odin.
To me, asking one of my uncles for advice on anything was absolutely the last thing I would do! I already knew how to drink! I certainly wouldn't try to revive one of their severed heads, even if I could. Something like that would make family reunions awkward.
I dunno how "the well of Mimir" fits in with a severed talking head, but that also shows up in the , uh, Eddas.
M.P.
MP - I haven't the foggiest idea what you are writing about, in depth at that! But, just to keep my mind sharp, I want to see if I understand what I think I understood:
May I conclude Odin was aligned with the Vanir?
No!
It was the other way around!
God dang it Charlie. There's a thing called Wikipedia.
(I'm enjoying those comics by the way)
M.P.
Charlie - A good basic book on Aesir/Vanir (& Norse stuff, in general) is 'Myths of the Norsemen' by Roger Lancelyn Green. Also, it's got pen & ink drawings, which somehow make it even better.
On the subject of pig monsters, has anyone read 'The House at the Borderland', by William Hope Hodgson? Colin might have read it, because 'Fortean Times' did a big feature on it, a few years back.
Phillip
I'll look that up, Phil.
My personal go-to book on the Norse myths, is, well, The Norse Myths, by Kevin Crossley-Holland.
The individual myths are put together as a developing story. Loki begins as an "enfant terrible", a trickster, and ends up as basically the Devil himself, purely nihilistic.
M.P.
M.P. - Thanks for your tip, too!
Phillip
Phillip, some here may be familiar with House On The Borderland through the comic version drawn by the late, great Richard Corben.
Its well worth tracking down if you haven't read it (provided you're ok with an adaptation that doesn't stick rigidly to the Hodgson original).
-sean
Sean - I've never heard of that - thanks. The bit where his brave dog, Pepper, crumbled to dust, was a bit sad.
Phillip
If you're into Hodgson its only fair to emphasize that its not the most faithful of adaptations Phillip (for me, Corben can get away with doing whatever he likes).
Theres a good review at -
www.hoodedutilitarian.com/2012/06/old-wine-in-new-wineskins-the-house-on-the-borderland/
-sean
Hmmm - it does seem somewhat different, Sean!
Phillip
Phillip, I haven't read 'The House On The Borderland' but BBC Radio 4-Extra (the digital station) serialised that very book not so long ago and I listened to it.
Sean - After reading the book, it 'stayed with me' a long time afterwards, with many vivid scenes. There's a scene reminiscent of H.G.Wells' Time Machine - but even better - in which, for the protagonist, time starts to accelerate to an incredible rate, with planets, etc, coming to an end, before his eyes. I've never read another book like it - except maybe Wells (but this was better!) If you listened to a radio 4 version, you probably got 75% + of the story, I would imagine.
Phillip
Phil, I've read 'The Time Machine' thanks to SFX magazine which gave away a free paperback with the magazine about three years ago.
And on the subject of The Time Machine, which is the better film version? - the 1960 original or the 2002 remake? I prefer the 2002 version which includes a fantastic CGI "accelerating time" sequence as the time-traveller moves forward through the ages to come.
Colin - I've never watched the modern Time Machine remake, I'm afraid, just the 1960 original (& listened to the cheapo 1970s kids' audiobook!) Have you read 'House on the Borderland?'
Phillip
Phil, I refer you to my earlier comment!
Sorry, Colin - I jumped straight to your longer response, and missed the first one! Duh!
Phillip
Ok... The Vanir cut off Mimir's head. Odin keeps it alive. I assumed that Odin was hanging out with the Vanir and was thus aware to keep Mimir's head alive.
Maybe my logic is mixed up b/c I been reading about that famous church in London St Andrews the Undershaft not so far away from St Andrews the Wardrobe.
Colin, I prefer the 1960s Time Machine. I've seen the newer one twice but can't remember anything about it other than Samantha Mumba, and Mike from Neighbours are in it.
For dinosaur fans (& clown fans) - courtesy of the ZX-81 - the keys are 5, 7 & 8:
https://www.zx-gaming.co.uk/games/monstermaze/default.htm
Phillip
Steve, the 2002 version of The Time Machine also starred Mark Addy (from The Full Monty) and Jeremy Irons as the chief Morlock. It's an under-rated film in my opinion. The time travel sequence that I mentioned is on YouTube.
Colin, call it a wild hunch, but I suspect bringing up The Full Monty might not be the best way to recommend a film to Steve.
-sean
I'd agree (for what that's worth!) that the 2002 Time Machine was a decent movie. I never saw the earlier version. Guy Pierce is a good actor.
I liked that scene with Jeremy Irons as the chief Morlock. Boy, that guy can do a very arch, suave, almost charming pure evil like nobody else. It's at the same time compelling and creepy as hell.
He coulda made for a pretty good Hannibal Lector, I bet. Maybe even Dracula. Was Irons' character in the novel? I confess I never read it.
M.P.
Irons wasn't very convincing as Alfred in Batman v Superman and Justice League, M.P.
Mind you, to be fair no-one could be convincing in those films (although I didn't mind watching Gal Gadot).
I've seen both Time Machine flicks, and Time After Time - that one with the fella from Clockwork Orange as HG Wells following Jack the Ripper into the future (which I suppose you could say was derived from the book too) - so can confidently state that the best adaptation is...
The Marvel Classic Comics version. Mainly because it was drawn by the mighty Alex Nino.
-sean
MP, no there was no chief Morlock in the novel. I liked The Time Machine novel because, as well as being a good story, HG Wells was criticising class divisions (which eventually results in the Morlocks and the Eloi). In the novel the time traveller continues much further into the future to near the end of the world but that part wasn't in either film version (but HG Wells imagined the world's end to be mere millions of years in the future rather than the billions we know nowadays).
I couldn't quite get on board with the Morlock/Eloi thing Colin, because while I'm fine with eating the rich - metaphorically speaking - of the two the Eloi are presented more sympathetically.
Wells was writing for an audience that around the end of the 19th century would have been largely bourgeois, so it was probably the most effective way of making them think about the subject. But it doesn't work so well in our more socially equa... ah, who am I kidding?
-sean
Sean, Time After Time...David Warner, right? As Jack the Ripper. Now, that guy could be creepy too.
In Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol, Jack the Ripper and God were the same person. But that's a whole other can of corn, right there.
Colin, the idea of The Time Machine being a comment about real-life class divisions never occurred to me, but it seems obvious now. The best science fiction is generally a social commentary.
The gulf between the working class and the poor, vs. the wealthy, grows every day.
So is it Wells' contention that, that very stark difference would cause them to evolve (or devolve) in opposite directions?
Maybe that's already happening.
M.P.
There was a syndicated show here in the States called Night Flight, televised Friday evenings in the late seventies/early eighties. It was a gas, especially for the "party-hardy" crowd.
It was about 3 hours long, and contained short films, bizarre cartoons, music videos, etc. Basically encompassing popular entertainment culture. They even showed the complete Frank Zappa film Baby Snakes. This was a couple years before MTV.
It was from this program I first experienced Motorhead and Adam & the Ants. Maybe from the same episode. "Ace Of Spades" and "Kings Of The Wild Frontier" are still 2 of my favorite albums.
MP, that's indeed what Wells was saying. He was a socialist and he was appalled by the class gulf of his time.
Sean, I suppose Wells was warning the rich that the poor would get their revenge and turn the tables one day.
Yes, but I think he was doing it in a way that was - understandably - aimed at the better off Colin, just as War Of The Worlds was a critique of imperialism primarily addressed to a British audience.
Not to knock the Time Machine too much, but I think WOTW is more successful at reaching beyond its original intended readers.
Speaking of WOTW, I saw some stuff on the news a few days about a meteor over Gloucestershire.
So soon after the one in Leeds, you have to wonder - what is going on?
-sean
*a few days ago
-sean
Sean, do those meteors give off a green light? Whilst driving in Iowa I saw one drop into a cornfield like a green flash. It must've been pretty small. It was night and in the dead of winter.
It looked more like a firecracker than anything else, but nobody would have been shooting off firecrackers in the middle of Bumf*** nowhere on a cold dark night.
My brother says he's seen that too. I dunno why they look green. Do they have copper in 'em?
One of my uncles claimed to have seen multiple UFO's, but that was around the same time he started making his own wine at home.
M.P.
Not seen the actual meteors myself M.P., but there doesn't seem to be any green light in the video footage. Which doesn't mean there wasn't any, of course.
Fwiw, according to Aleister Crowley green light symbolizes a magickally significant event. Which isn't really very helpful, is it?
-sean
Mr. Crowley had an opinion about just about everything, didn't he.
M.P.
...today, he would have his own podcast!
Starting a podcast is a strong indicator of somebody being demented.
M.P.
MP - There have been a bunch of meteor sightings in our area the past week or two. Lots of folks reporting then on "Next Door" and dozens of folks corroborating them.
Thing is they happen so quickly you're like 'did I just see that???"
I've seen one come from seemingly over Chicago flying west. But distance is hard to gauge at night with what is just a shooting streak of light, isn't it??? I mean, I thought the thing was just overhead and crashed a mile down the road but it was late at night and there was no trace of anything so...
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